Improvement in sound-boards for pianos



UNITED STATES PATENT GEEIGE;

JACOB BENZ, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN SOUND-:BOARDS FOR PIANOS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 58,763,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JACOB BENZ, of Phila. delphia and State ot' Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Sound-Boards for Pianos 5 and do hereby declare that the following' is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawing, and to the letters ot' reference marked thereon.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction of a double sound-board, both ot' thesameshapeandtorm. Thewoodtibers,how ever, of the upper sound-board are running in a transverse direction to those in the lower or bottom sound-board. The uppersoundboard rests upon small strips ot' wood or ribs, (marked A B O D E F G H.) Said ribs have open interstices (marked R It) for the purpose ot' affording to the sound-leading wood fibers more length and less obstruction, further, of giving to the atmospheric air in the space between both sound-boards free and ample passage, which otherwise would be confined and abrogate the fullness, duration, and equality of the tone, and lessen the vibrating quality of the board, all ot which is essentially improved in thc construction and connection of (lated October 16, 1866.

two sound-boards with the wood fibers in opposite direction, as marked or indicated by small-drawn lines in the drawing.

The ribstmarlied JKL-M) are the main supporters for the upper soun (bboard. Theyare of the same height of the ribs with openings, so that the upper sound-board becomes fully supported on all of them and perfectly connected by means of glue, thus leaving a certain open space between them. The openings in the lower sound-board (marked N O P) also serve for a proper air-current, and for sustaining its free circulation, which without them would be obstructed by putting the stretcher in its place, as the passages in the front rib G become thereby closed.

Vfhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is*

The construction and combination of two dit ferent sound-boards with transverse-running wood fibers, and provided with supporting-ribs and air-passages, substantiallyand for the purpose as described and set forth.

JACOB BENZ.

J oHN KNECET. 

